Stepping-stool.



A. W. TELLANDBR.

STBPPING STOOL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914.

' J f? r l l l l l l l l l mventor lDtnesscs Gttornegs tion,

AXEL w. TELLANDER, or sir. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

STEPPING-STOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed April 24, 1913. Serial No. 763,468.

To all 'whom 'it may concern;

Be it known that I, AXEL IV. TELLANDER, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stepping- Stools, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

kThis invention relates to stepping stools, particularly to the kind used in railway service, and an object of the invention is to provide a vnon-slipping stool wherein the non-slipping feature is only thrown into operation when needed. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a. stool of this type having spikes adapted to engage the pavement, walk, or other surface upon which the step rests, and means for moving the lower ends of the spikes above the bottom of the step when the same is not in use. l

A still further obj ect of the invention is to provide a stepping stool with a movable top, this top having secured thereto a 'means for preventing slipping of the stool when a person steps upon the top.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel construccombinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention showing the top in elevated position. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the top depressed and the spikes extending. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the invention as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the top and associated spikes.

Like reference characters designate the corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Frequently accidents occur in railway stations due to the fact that the stepping stool is placed on a slippery surface, such as snow or ice, so that as a person descending from a car steps on the stool, the latter will slip somewhat and the person be hurt thereby. It is further desirable that the stepping stool be of such design as to enable the same to be stored in a car in such a way as not to disiigure the floor or walls of the car.

In order to provide a stepping stool ac y coinplishing the aforesaid objects and free from the objections just noted, I provide a stepping stool having a body of the usual construction, preferably wood, and I further provide a movable top for the stool to which are secured rods or spikes having their lowerl ends pointed and adapted to be forced into the snow or ice as a person steps upon the top. A suitable spring connection is interposed between the body portion of the stool and the movable top so that the spikes and top will be raised as soon asl a person steps off of the stool.

Referring to the drawings, the body portion of the stool, or designated generally at l, may be formed as a truncated pyramid,.

there being provided suitable openings 2 1n the sides of the stool to facilitate the handling of the stool.

I do not wish to be limited to a particular construction of the box for a body portion of the stool, in so much as any form will suffice which will receive the spikes or rOds referred to hereinafter. A movable top 3 is provided to form the tread of the stool, this tread being coated in any appropriate manner, as by soft rubber, canvas, or carpet, the particular covering of the tread forming no part of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 4, depending from each corner of the tread 3, is a rod 4, the upper end of each rod being bent so as to engage the bottom portion of the tread and provided with suitable securing means, such as screws, for holding the same rigid with the tread. The lower portions of the rod 4 constituting legs may be pointed to form a spike, as shown at 5', this spike being forced into ice, snow, or other smooth and slippery surface when the tread 3 is depressed. If desired, the two rods adjacent the endsv of the' tread may be made integral, the screw portion between the rods being flattened to receive securing screws.

In order to guide the rods 4 in the stool, there is provided a strip 5 in each of the corners of the stool, one form of this strip being shown as a quarter cylinder in Fig. 3, the core' of the strip being removed to afford a continuous opening 10 through the corners of the stool, these continuous openings being of pro-portions to receive the corresponding rods 4. I wish it to be understood that this is not the only construction which may be used for housing the rods, in sc much as the saine may be disposed at other parts of the main body of the stool and still operate in the manner as shown and described in the specific embodiment disclosed. ln order to atiord a spring connection between the body of the stool and the tread, each of the rods i is provided with a collar rigid therewith which is adapted to engage one end of a spring 7 loosely surrounding each rod. The other end of the spring 7 carries a collar 8 loosely mounted with respect to the rod and providing for the compressing of the spring when the tread 3 is depressed. ln order to form a bearing for the collar S, the stool h as formed therein a seat 9 adapted to receive the collar S so that the spring may be depressed. The opening above the seat 9 may be made of the same diameter as the collars G and 8, so that the spring and collars may be inserted from the top of the body of the stool. This is not the only construction which can be used however, in so much as the springs and collars may lit in a pocket formed in the continuous opening l0 formed between the sides of the body portion and the removable strips 5.

By referring to Fig. l, it will be noted that the space between the top of the main portion of the stool and the bottom of the tread 3 is just suliicient when the rods are depressed to allow the points 5 to crut through ice or snow. t may be desirable to have the space between the tread and body so large as to require the rods to sustain the whole weight of the person standing on the stool without having the tread rest on the lower part ot' the stool. Gr, the space may be made comparatively narrow so that the rods will extend just enough to lock the stool in one position, while the weight of the person standing' on the stool will be transferred to the corners l1. .lt will be obvious from the drawings that a person Vstei'iping upon the tread 3 will. torce the points 5 downwardly against the surface supporting the stool until the bottom of the tread engages the top of the body portion, after which time the work of supporting the person will be transferred to the corners l1. As soon as pressure is relieved from the tread 3, the springs 7 will force the tread 3 up into normal position and also carry the points 5 into the stool above the plane of the corners ll, so that the stool may be set down upon a polished surface without tear of having the surface scarred. It is desirable to have the springs 7 sutliciently strong to return the tread 3, but at the same time the said springs should be weak enough to allow the tread to be depressed as soon as a person steps upon the stool. so as to cause no uneasiness on the part of the descending passenger.

Vhile one embodiment ot the invention has been shown in the drawings, yet it will be understood that the invention is sus ccptible of a number of variations lying wit-hin the scope of the invention as dis closed.

lVhat l claim is:

l. In a device of the class described, a tread portion, a base therefor comprising a plurality of members spaced apart, legs ot. greater length than the height of the base, connected with the tread portion and extending along oppositely located members of the base, for engaging a supporting surface, the tread and the upper portions of the legs being normally above the base, and means controlling the movement of the legs with reference to the base.

2. ln a device' of the class described, a tread portion, a base therefor, formed with a plurality of members spaced apart means comprising a iared U-shaped member connected with the tread portion and extending along oppositely located members of the base, and springs serving to normally hold the ends of said member substantially flush i 7ith the lower edge ot' the base and the tread out of contact with the base the U-shaped members including leg portions the length oi: which is greater than the height ot' the base.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AXEL XV. TELLANDER. lVitnesses H. M. ROBERTSON, G. H. GILMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

